First review of 'Shimmer' by the Vancouver Province

Recorded over the past six months with co-producer Mark Gordon at Nimbus School of the Recording Arts, Vancouver singer-songwriter May doesn’t miss a single detail on this 10-track release. Every guitar slide, breathy harmony and note is Nashville-quality which is exactly where her music is geared. Already lauded by folkies in the know, it’s time that some DJs started showing some love to songs such as the “party all night” vibe of “Spinning 45s” and the tour de force of “Lie to You” (which gets both a band and solo acoustic treatment to clearly note how strong the writing is). That she’s blessed with killer pipes which can go all torch singer on a tune such as “Stick Around,” only to slide into almost ’70s Laurel Canyon country/rock balladry on “It Ain’t Easy . . . Being Me,” is one more bit of icing on the cake. Guess that’s why she does everything from solo gigs to the annual Motown Meltdown charity gig at the Commodore Ballroom (March 31) with such ease. For fans of everyone from Kathleen Edwards to Linda Ronstadt and all points in between.